Five things to know about Osun State govnorship election

Govnorship election for Osun state go happun on Saturday 15 August across di 30 Local Govment Areas of di state.

Dis na di 7th time dem go conduct govnorship election for di state since civilian rule return for 1999.

Govnorship elections don happun for di state for 1999, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022.

Di election na one of di off cycle elections wey dey happun across Nigeria. Dis na sake of court judgement wey bin remove one sitting govnor and install im opponent for di seat after three years.

Di election go start by 8:30am and close by 2:30pm according to di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec).

Since dem create Osun State 1991, 10 pipo don serve as govnor or military administrator.

Dem include Leo Segun Ajiborisha, Isiaka Adeleke, Anthony Udofia, Anthony Obi, Theophilus Bamigboye, Bisi Akande, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Rauf Aregbesola, Gboyega Oyetola and di incumbent, Ademola Adeleke.

Incumbent Govnor Ademola Adeleke dey run to secure tenure.

Na him win di 2022 election under di Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), now e don defect to di Accord Party to run for second tenure.

E beat di den incumbent govnor Gboyega Oyetola for di 2022 govnorship election.

Dis na five tins you need to know about di 2026 Osun Govnorship Election

Number of registered voters

Inec Chiarman Joash Amupitan for statement for dia official X handle tok say total of 2,339,233 eligible voters go participate for di election across 3,763 polling units and 332 wards.

Di state get 30 Local Govment Areas.

E say dem don increase di number of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS machine wey dem go use for dis election from 4,427 to 5,130.

Dem also double di back up devices from 664 to 1,328 to ensure quick replacement in case some malfunction.

Ontop security matter, di chairman say Inec dey use proactive approach wey dem tag Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to torchlight flashpoints across di state.

Say dem dey also engage traditional rulers and transport unions to ensure hitch free elections.

Why dem dey hold di election for off cycle

Since dem create Osun state for 1991, elections for di state dey always sound like battleground as both di candidates and even di electorate dey always feel di heat.

All di govnorship elections wey dem don hold for di state since di return of democracy dey always end for tribunal or legal battle, na only dat of 2007 wey court comot di sitting govnor and install anoda govnor.

Koko be say for 2007 election, Inec declare Olagunsoye Oyinlola of di PDP winner, but after three years of legal battle, Court of Appeal nullify Oyinlola election and declare Rauf Aregbesola of di ACN winner and change of govment happen immediately.

Dem count Aregbesola govment tenure from di day him enta office, even though Oyinlola bin spend three years for office.

Sake of dat legal challenge and di change of power, elections for di state stop to dey happen for same time with oda states.

Any body wey win di election, e go lead di state again from 2026 to 2030.

Number of candidates for di election

14 political parties dey present candidate to contest for di seat of di govnor. Though na only two to three parties get candidates wey dia power too gidigba for election matter for di state.

Di incumbent govnor Ademola Adeleke of di Accord Party dey face di All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji and di African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Dr Najeem Folasayo Salaam.

Each of di three major candidates carry power for dia waist as dem dey head into di election.

Ademola Adeleke na di incumbent govnor, e dey brag wit him achievements for office since him become govnor for 2022.

Asiwaju Oyebamiji na former commissioner for finance for di state and e get di support of di immediate past govnor and current Nigeria Minister for Marine and Blue Economy Gboyega Oyetola. E also get di support of Nigeria ruling party APC.

Dr Salaam on di oda side get di support of former Rauf Aregbesola.

How di new electoral act fit affect di election

Di 2026 Osun govnorship election go be di third election wey Inec dey conduct since Nigeria President Bola Tinubu assent to di 2026 Electoral Act.

E go be di last major election before di 2027 general election for Nigeria. Dem dey apply some of di new rules for dis election.

Di rules include:

Voter registration: Dem don narrow down documents wey dey needed for voter registration down to 3 - Birth certificate, Nigerian passport plus National Identification Number (NIN).

Downloadable voter card: Voters go fit download dia voter card from INEC website.

Electronic transmission of results: Electronic transmission to IReV dey compulsory. But if e fail, di physical result sheet (EC8A) go bicom di primary source of collation and results declaration.

Mode of party primary election: Di new bill adopt direct primaries and consensus as di only methods for political parties to nominate candidates. Dis one mean say no more indirect primaries.

Disbursement of funds to Inec: Govment must release election funds to INEC at least 6 months bifor di general election. Bifor na 12 months.

Deadline for submission of candidates' list: Political parties must submit names of candidates 120 days bifor di election day. Bifor na 180 days

Inec final list of candidates: Di electoral body must publish candidates' list 60 days bifor di election. Bifor na 150 days.

Except for di provision for Section 60 (3) wey hold say upon network failure wey fit affect electronic transmission; form EC8A go bicom di primary mode of collation and result transmission.

Rules for dis election

New Police Commissioner Samuel Etaifo wey dem send to overseer di election for di state don arrive Osun and begin work ahead of saturday polls. Di police say dem don put adequate security measures to ensure peaceful election.